Construction underway on ‘state-of-the-art’ new Animal Care Centers shelter in East New York

Animal Care Centers of New York is set to open a state-of-the-art new shelter in Brooklyn next fall, and construction has just begun, according to city officials.

The $48 million, 23,900-square-foot building is rising on the footprint of the old ACC facility on Linden Boulevard, which was demolished last year. It will house dozens of dogs and cats waiting to be adopted, and will be equipped with a new medical suite, a second-floor dog run, and training space.

Alexandra Silver, director of the Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare, called the Brooklyn Animal Care Center an “essential community resource.”

The new shelter will house dozens of adoptable cats and dogs. File photo courtesy of Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso

“Aside from being a healthier, more enriching shelter for animals in need, this new, modern, and inviting facility will be a great place for New Yorkers to volunteer, adopt, and connect with resources to help them keep their pets,” she said in a statement.

ACC is contracted by New York City to operate city animal shelters, which take in and adopt out thousands of animals per year, including dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and bunnies.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, ACC’s shelters have been chronically overcrowded as the rising costs of pet care force some pet owners to surrender their animals or opt against adopting at all. Animal advocates have at times criticized the cramped, sometimes dirty conditions in ACC shelters.

Last year, with the help of the city’s departments of Health and Mental Hygiene and Design and Construction, ACC opened a state-of-the-art new shelter in Queens and a pet adoption center in Manhattan; it plans to reopen its renovated shelter in the Bronx this year.

A rendering of the new East New York shelter. Image courtesy of NYC DDC

Risa Weinstock, president and CEO of ACC, said the new Brooklyn facility is a “milestone” in the org’s mission to end animal homelessness.

“With this state-of-the-art facility joining the newly built Pet Adoption Center in Manhattan, and our full-service care centers in Queens, Staten Island, and later this year in the Bronx, we are transforming the landscape of animal welfare in New York City,” she said in a statement. “We’re grateful to our city partners for investing in a more humane future for NYC’s animals.”

The new facility will be decorated with a mural titled “Colorful Companions” by local artist Olalekan Jeyifous. The mural will “liven up the Center and be easily visible to passing pedestrians and drivers, in an effort to draw people in,” according to DDC.

It will also have new parking for patrons, benches, bike racks, and high-efficiency lighting and HVAC systems expected to lower carbon emissions significantly. A backup generator will be able to power the entire facility in case of power outages.

A rendering of the “Colorful Companions” mural. Image courtesy of Smith-Miller + Hawkinson Architects, Olalekan Jeyifous

Construction is expected to wrap next fall. The old Brooklyn ACC shelter closed for demolition last summer, and the organization is directing all new animals and interested adopters to its other locations in Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island.

“Our pets are our most loyal friends, bringing warmth and happiness into our lives,” said Michelle Morse, acting commissioner of the city’s Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, in a statement. “This sustainable space will offer four-legged New Yorkers many amenities including a modern medical facility, an outdoor dog run and an adoption center along with vibrant artwork. It’s an important step toward our goal of providing full-service animal shelters in every borough.”